More corn expected in 2013

There are other factors that corn growers should consider when looking to continue the trend of a successful corn harvest.

Sarah Morris, smorris@stuttgartdailyleader.com

The 2013 harvest is predicted to be up for the county’s corn growers.Jason Kelley said it’s a trend that continues from last year when “everything went well.”

“We did a lot of things right but, to me, it wasn’t all irrigation,” Kelley, an extension agronomist for wheat and feed grains, said. He also contributed last year’s yield to a perfect early season with quicker and uniform emergence; an excellent early season growth with even fields; and no heavy rains or saturated soils.

Still, there are other factors that corn growers should consider when looking to continue the trend of a successful corn harvest. And more than 50 area producers attended the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Offices of Arkansas and Jefferson counties’ Wednesday corn production meeting in Stuttgart to learn more.

Kelley said the key factor is to make sure all the steps are taken correctly from the very start. Corn producers should select good hybrids, selecting more than one hybrid to plant and be consistent year from year. The hybrids should be chosen based on performance, not traits, such as Herculex, Triple Pro, Double Pro, Smart Stax and Viptera.

The grower shouldn’t rush to be the “first guy out there to plant” either since it will be nearly the same results for those who plant in early March as those who plant in late March.

“For me, I don’t think we need to be doing it the first of March, but at the end of the month and first of April,” Kelley said.

Another way to increase profitability is the phaucet program for furrow irrigation. Chris Henry, with the extension’s bio and agricultural engineering, said the computerized program is used for punching holes in poly pipe and should help keep row water more evenly spread.

It also reduces water and fuel by 20 percent, or increases profits by $70 per acre, on regularly shaped fields. Henry said savings would likely be higher on irregularly shaped fields.

Kelley said growers should check for insects and disease from the very beginning. Southern Rust should be treated if the corn is not mature. Southern Rust is pretty common since it likes hot weather and can be aggressive while Northern Cornleaf Blight and Gray Leaf Spot are more minor disease for area growers.

Kelley said, “Bt. corn may help in reducing insect damage but not on any mechanism of stress.”

There is new Bt. corn technology although university data indicates that new traits do not increase yields compared to older technology. Growers using Bt. corn should check refuge requirements with more help available at http://refuge.irmcalculator.com/.

Afla-Guard, a biological control, additionally works, although it doesn’t completely eliminate the problem. Kelley said it’s a good suppressor with 60 to 70 percent success.

“It cannot take a high risk and make it a low risk,” Kelley said. “It is also not economical for highly productive fields where fertility and water are not issues. Really, it’s a bandaid.”

No matter what product is used, growers should read the product’s labels to insure correct usage. Arkansas County Extension Agent Grant Beckwith said growers should contact his office to learn more by calling (870) 673-2661.